elliott



June 24, 1924.

W. S. ELLIOTT TREATMENT 0F LIQUIDs Original Filed March El, 1915 2Sheena-sheen 1 INVENTOR June 24, 1924.

- w. s. ELLIOTT TREATMENT oF LIQUIDs 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original FiledMarch 3l 1915 A INVENTOR Reiasued June 24, 1924.

UNITED STA WILLIAM S. ELLIOTT, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

TREATMENT OF LIQUIDS.

original lo. 1,321,999, daten November 1a, 1919, smal ma. 18.26B, meaMarch s1, 1915. AApplication for reime nica April 22, 1924. serialpma.708,322.'

To all whom z't may concern.' Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. ELLIOTT, acitizen ,of the UnitedStates, residin at Pittsburgh, Allegheny County,Pennsy vania,have invented a new and useful Im- -provement in theTreatment of 'Liquids,'of which the'followin is a full, clear, andexact'description, re erence being'had to the accompan in drawings,forming part of this speci cation..

My invention has relation to the treatment of liquids for the purpose ofremoving the airand other gases contained or dissolved therein. Whileapplicable to the treatment of other liquids, 1t is of particularadvantage in the treatment of water for industrial pur-poses. It is awell known fact that the air contained in steam and water causes boilercorrosion, and also corrosion of the valves, pi es, fittings, and other)metal parts with whichY the Water or steam comes in contact.Besides'the air, water containsother gases dissolved therein, such ascarbon div oxid. The object ofthe resent invention is to provide asimple met 0d and means for the treatment of water or other liquids bywhich a" maximum percentage ot the air and other ases contained thereinmay be removed rom the liquid before the latter is used. yThe presentinvention4 involves broadly the treatment of liquid to effect therelease therefrom -of its contained air and other gases and bysubjecting the same to such conditions lthat there is produced a changeof phase of such a percentage of all of the liquid being treated as toensure the removal of 'substantially all of the air.

In the illustrated method of: producing lthis change of phase orevaporation of a definite percentage of the liquid, the liquid isadmitted into a receiver, into a region of vacuo` at such a temperaturethat it can exist only as superheated vapor: and is there caused to boilata temperature lower than that corresponding ro the temperature of theliquid immediately before it enters the receiver. The temperature in thereceiver -is lowered by lowering the pressure therein by any suitablemeans. such as a vacuum pump connected thereto. A condenser ispreferably interposed between the vacuum f he`nature of my inventionwill-be better understood by reference to the accompany-- ing. drawings,in which I have illustrated vone method and form of apparatus forcarrying out the invention, and which will now be described, it being,premised however, that the particular apparatus shownis illustrativeonly and thatv theinvention is capable of various other embodimentswithinthe scope of the' appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a view partly in sideelevation and partly in section, and largely diagrammatic. of one formof apparatus for carrying out the invention; K

Figure v2 is a diagram of a portion ofthe apparatus showing amodification, and

Figure 3 is a diagram showingone arrangement of apparatus for using thetreated liquid. f

AIn these drawings. the numeral 2 desi nates a suitablel heating tank orreceptac e into which the liquid to be treated is conducted by means ofthe supply pipe 3. This pipe -is shown as entering the 'upper portion ofthe heater atthe central portion thereof, and is branched as indicatedat 4, these branches supplying the spray pans 5. These. pans are shownas having overflow or spray troughs 6 which discharge onto a sui'tablearrangement of distributors 7. Pipe 3 is provided with a control valve 8having actuating connections 9 with afloat 10 within the heater wherebya substantially constant level of the water is maintained. 11 designatesan overflow chamber within the heater and 12 a dischar e pipe therefor.This chamber 11 not onlyta es care of any overow which may occur in casethe level should for any` reason rise beyond its normal. but it alsotakes care of the entrainment from the steam supply pipe 13. The lat-`ter opens into an o'set portion 14 vof the heater 2 and is arranged todischarge against a separator plate 15, the drip from which falls intothe chamber 11. The purpose of the separator 15 is to separare out anyoil which may be entrained with the steam in pipe 13. The steamdelivered by this pipe .is employed for the' purpose of heatin the waterin the tank, although any other eating means may be employed.

16 designates a receiver which is connected by a pipe 17 with thedischarge of the heater 2.. The pipe enters the upper portion of thereceiver and the latter is provided with splray pans 18 and distributers19 similar to t osev in t-he heater. Any other suitable means may,however, be provided for receiving the water as it enters the receiver.20 is a control valve for the pipe 17, and 21 isa control floattherefor. 22 is the actuating con- 23 is an otl'take pipe for thetreated water leading` to a pump 24.-

he receiver 16 is connected with a vacuum pump 25 through a condenser 26by means of the pipes 27 and 28. The condenser 26 has a water supplyconnection at 27.I discharging into the bottom chamber 30, a bank ofheating tubes 29 connecting this chamber 30 with an upper chamber 30".The ipe 3 is connected to the outlet of this chaniber 30, 31 `is asedimentv discharge or clean-out connection for the receiver.

The operation is as follows: Tater entering the condenser 26Yfrom thepipe 27A passes upwardly through the tubes 29 to the chamber 30, andthence into the heater 2 by way ofdthe pipe 3. Itis brought to thedesired temperature in this heater and is ythen discharged into thereceiver in which a -partial vacuum is maintained bythe action of thepump 25. The effect of this vacuum upon the water entering the receiveris to cause it to boilat a temperature verted into vapor.

which is lower than the temperature of the lliquid immediately before itenters the receiver. By maintaining a sufficient degree of vacuum inthis receiver, the water entering it is immediately subjected to aviolent boiling action and is in part rapidly con- In fact, the boilingaction which occurs is of such a violent character that it is in thenature of an explosion or flashing. The Water then flows down over theseries of distributers in a distributed or film-like condition. so thatall portions thereof are subjected to the vacuum action. The combinedeect of the dashing or explosion and ofthe vacuum actinr upon the waterin moving over the distrlbuters results in the air and other dissolvedgases contained in the waterbeing extracted `to a maximum extent. Thewater vapor and other gases thus liberated by the boiling are drawn oil'through the condenser 26 by the action of the pump 25`: and in passingover the bank of tubes 26 impart a very ann siderable degree of heat tothe water contained in said tubes before it enters the heater 2. At thesame time.I by reason of the cooling action of the water in the pi es 26a large percentage of the condensa le:

vapors are condensed, and the liquid of condensation is drawn off b theaction of a suitable pump 32 throng the pipe 33, or otherwise disposedof. For instance, in stead of the pump 32, I may (as shown in Figure2)elevate the condenser, as indicated at 26, to a height above the heater2.a such as to create a head of Water in the U-sha ed tube 34 leadinginto the heater 2'l suicient to discharge the water from the condenserinto the`he`ater, against the action of the vacuum in the condenser.

In Figure 3, I have shown dia-grammatically an arrangement of boiler,turbine and condenser apparatus for utilizing the treatedwater. In thisapparatus the pump 24, before'referred to, delivers the purified waterthrough the pipe 35 into a boiler 36. The steam generated in this boilerisconducted by the pipe 37 to the turbine 38. The exhaust of thisturbine is connected by the pipe 39 with a condenser 4() which may be ofany wel] known type. This results in a very considerable percentage ofthe contained scale-forming elements in the water being precipitated to,the bottom of the res ceiver in the form of mud which can be readilyremoved. This is also a valuable feature of my invention.

On account of the removal of the air from the water in the mannerdescribed, the steam reaches the condenser 40 in a condition practicallyfree from air, provided there is no leakage in the pipe line between thecondenser and turbine.

Vith the old condensers employing a large dry pump, all of the air andother gases must be extracted by the use of very large vacuum air pumps,working against a high vacuum. By' the employment of my system, the drypump at the main condenser need be only of a small per cent pf thecapacity of that heretofore required, as a large percentage of the airhas already been removed from the liquid at a vacuum pressure which isbut a small percentage of that employed in the main condenser. Thisresults in great economy in the operation of the system. In actua]operation I have found that under economical commercial operatingconditions my invention will effect a separation of ninety toninetyreight per cent of the contained air. It will accomplish aseparation such that the remaining dissolved gases will, -at a'temperatureof thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit at 14.7 pounds p1 r squareinch, occupy a volume of .2 per cunt to .1 per cent, as computed uponthe volume of the dissolving liquids. .These Figures apply tosubstantially all simple gases which are found dissolved in natural airas a mixture or constituent of a mixture, with the exception of carbondioxid. The

latter is separated to as complete an extent as boilin it for a limitedtime is able to accompli My invention also reduces all solublecarbonates dissolved in the liquid in the form of bi-carbonates` fromthe state of solubility to that of insolubility.

Another advantage of the present invention arises from the rovision of amethod whereby there is ro uced such an evaporation or change o phase ofthe 1i uid as to result in the release of substantia ly all of thecontained air, and the subsequent conveying of this substantiallyair-free liquid to a point of utilization thereof.

A further advantage of my invention is. that in its employment theslight heat losses which occur are more than recovered by the gain inthe ,relative power required to operate the large vacuum pumpsheretofore required in the operation of'condensers, to say nothing ofthe gain due to the increased vacuum in the condensers. It will bereadily understood that the form of the various apparatus described canbe widely varied..

and that any suitable form of heater and receiver can be used. Wherethe.water to be treated is already at the proper temperature the heater2 ma be entirely omitted and the water conduc various other changes can'be made.

What I claim is:

1. The herein described method of treating liquids for the removal ofair and other `contained gases, which consists in heating the liquid tobe'treated and then introducing the same into a chamber, maintaining apressure in said chamber lower than the pressure corresponding to thetemperature of the li uid immediately before entering said cham r,distributin the liquid in said chamber, whereby it is su jected to aboiling action to a degree corresponding to the pressure in thereceiver, utilizing the vacuum producing means to draw the vapors andgases produced by the boiling through a condenser, conveyingsubstantially air-free liquid from the chamber to a point of utilizationthereof, and controlling the introduction of liquid into said chambersubstantially wholly in accordance with the demands onsaid chamber forsuch air-free liquid, substantially as described.

2. The herein described method of treating lliquids for the removal ofair and other .contained gases, which consists in heating th liquid tobe treated and then introducing the same into a chamber substantiallywholly in accordance with the demands on said chamber for the'treatedliquid, maintainin a pressure in said chamber lower than t e pressurecorrespondin to the temperature of the.'l' iiid' immediately beforeentering said cha-mbe'r, distributing the liquid in said receiver,whereby it is subjected therein, which consists in introducin directlyto the receiver, and` tions to c Yto a'boiling action 'to'a degreecorresponding to the pressure inzthe chamber, exhaustin the vapors `andgases from the receiver an assing them through a condenser. and passingthe li uid to be heated throu h said condenser` su tantially Iasdescribergl.

3. The method of treating liquids for the removal of air and other gasescontained the liquid into a chamber, distributing the liquid in saidchamber, continuously maintaining in said chamber pressure andtemperature conditions such as to change the phase of said liquid to apercentage sutlicient to release substantially all of the air contained`therein, and conveying the substantially airfree liquid from saidchamber to a point of utilization thereof, substantially asdescribed. i

4. The method of treating liquids for the removal of air and othercontained gases, which consists of introducing the liquid into asuitable apparatus, maintaining in said apparatus continuous pressureand temperature conditions to change the phase of said liquid to apercentage suilicient to release substantially all of the air containedtherein, and conveying the substantially airfree li uid from saidapparatus to a point of utilization thereof, substantially as described.

5. The method of treating liquids for the removal of air and othercontained ases, which consists in introducing the liqui into a chamber,continuously maintaining in said chamber pressure and temperaturecondiange the phase of said liquid to a percenta sucient to releasesubstan-` .tia ly all o the air contained therein, causin the liquid toflow downwardly in a dis# tri uted condition through said chamber, and lconveying the substantially air-free liquid from the chamber to a pointof utilization thereof, substantially as described.

6. The method of treating liquids for the removal of air and othercontained gases, which consists in introducing the liquid in a heatedcondition into a chamber. continuously maintaining a sutlcient,..vacuumin said chamber to cause a violent V'ebullition or flashing of theliquid on entering' said chamber under the action of the heat containedin said liquid, and causing the liquid to flow thro h said chamber in aAdistributed or film-li e condition subject to jthe action of the vacuumtherein, substantially as described.

7. The method of treating liquids for the removal of-.air and other sand also for thea'reiiioval of scale-forming' elements containedtherein, which"consists in introducing theliquid into a chamber inheated condition, continuously maintaining a Vs uilicient vacuum in saidchamber to cause `a violent ebullition or dashing of the liquid as itenters said chamber under the action of the heat contained in theliquid, whereby the air e and contained gases are liberated andscaleforming elements precipitated, and conveying substantially air-freeliquid from said chamber to a point of utilization thereof.,substantially as described.

8. The method of treating liquids for the removal of air and othercontained gases, which consists in introducing the liquid into a chamberin a heated condition, maintaining a' suiicient vacuum in said chamberto cause a violent ebullition or flashing of the .liquid as it enterssaid chamber under the action of the heat contained therein, causing theliquid to flow through said chamber in a distributed condition whilesubjected to the action of the vacuum therein, automatically controllingthe level of the liquid in said chamber, and conveying substantiallyair-free liquid from said chamber to a point of utilization thereof,substantially as described. y

9. The method 'of treating liquids for the removal of air and othercontained gases, which consists in introducing the liquid into a chamberat a relatively high temperature, continuously maintaining in saidchamber a pressure suiiiciently lower than' the vapor pressure of thehot liquid before it enters said chamber to cause a violent ebullitionor flashing ofthe liquid as`it enters the chamber, removing theliberated air and gases from said chamber, utilizing the same as aheating medium, and conveying substan-l tially air-free li uid from saidchamber to a point of-utilizat1on thereof, substantially as described.

10. The method of treating liquids by the removal of air and othercontained ses, which consists in introducing the liquid in a heatedcondition into a chamber, continuously maintaining inv said chamber apressure suiciently lower than the vapor pressure of the liquid at itstemperature before Aentering the chamber to cause a violent ebullitionor flashing of the li uid as it enters the chamber, and with rawng` theheated vapor and gases from the chamber and utilizing the 'same forheating the li uid before it is introduced into the cham r,substantially"as described.

11. The method of deaerating liquid, coinprising providing a receiverhaving a liquid space and a valpor 'space conve ng substantiallyair-free iquid from sai liquid space to a point of utilization of suchliquid, automatically suppl ing to said receiver substantially whollyin' accordance with the How of such aimfree liquid from the liquidspace, liquid which is at a temperature higher than the temperature inthe receiver and which has a substantially constant dif-r ference intemperature thereover, and maintaining said substantially constantdifferiases ence in temperature, substantially as de scribed.

- 12. The method of deaerating liquid, comprising providing a receiverhaving a liquid s ace and a vapor .space conveying substantiallyair-free liquid from said liquid space to a point of utilization of suchliquid, automatically supplying to said receiver substantially wholly inaccordance with the flow of such air-free liquid from the liquid space,liquidwhich is at a temperature higher than the temperature in thereceiver and which. has a substantially constant difference intemperature thereover, and recovering the heat released in the receiver,substantially as described.

Y 13. The method of deaerating liquid, comprising passing the liquid tobe deaerated successively through a condenser, a heater and into areceiver, maintaining conditions within said receiver to cause a changeof phase of the liquid to a percentage sutiicient to releasesubstantially all of the air contained therein, withdrawing substan-.tially air-free liquid from the receiver and conveying the same to apoint of utilization of such iquid, and controlling the rate of feed ofliquid to the receiver substantially wholly in accordance with thedemands for air-free liquid thereon, substantially as described.

14. The method of treating liquids to effect the removal of airtherefrom, comprising providing a receiver having an air outlet, feedingliquid to said receiver in a substantially continuous manner, supplyingheat to the liquid to an amount to change the phase thereof to apercentage suiiicient to release substantially all of the air containedtherein, recovering at least a portion of the heat released in thereceiver, and withdrawing from said receiver, in a substantiallycontinuous manner air-free liquid and conveying it as such to a point ofutilization, substantially as described.-

15. The method of deaerating liquid, com-` prising providing a receiverhaving a liquid sV 'ace and a steam space, conveying substantiallyair-free liquid from the liquid space thereof to a point of utilizationof' such liquid in a practically continuous manner, automatically suplying to said receiver substantially` who ly in accordance with thedemands for air-free liquid 'on said liquid space. liquid and heat,teeding the entering liquid through the atmosphere in the. steam spaceof the receiver, and continuously withdrawing air and vapor from theliquid space of said receiver to maintain temperature and pressureconditions in the receiver to cause the liquid to release substantiallyall of its -contained air, substantially as'described.

16. The method of deaerating liquid, coiii-` prising providing areceiver having a liquid les ' ner, automatica space and a steam space,conveying substantially air-'free liquid from the liquid space thereofto a point of utilization of such liquid in a racticall continuous mansup ying to said receiver substantial w olly 1n accordance with thedemands or air-free 1i uid on said liquid space, liquid and heat,eedingthe entering liquid through the atmosphere in the steam space ofthe receiver, and utilizing the heat of the air and vapor for preheatingthe liquid su plied to the receiver, substantially as described.

17. The method of treating liquids for 15 the .removal of air and othercontained fases, which consists in introducing the iquidrinto a suitableapparatus, maintaining in said apparatus continuous pressure andtemperature conditions to change the phase of said liquid to apercentage suicient to release substantially all of the air containedtherein, conveyin the substantially air-free liquid from sald ap aratusto a point of utilization thereof, and) condensing the condensablevapors released by the change of phase and utilizin the condensate,substantially as described.

In. testimony whereof, I. have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM S. ELLIOTT.

